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You Deserve a Bag Today

April 5, 2005

Every year, personal finance magazines and websites publish helpful articles full of prudent advice on how best to use one’s tax refund. This year, forbes.compredicts that the average refund will be a little higher than last year’s $2,182. Their suggestions for that sum include such humdrum phrases as “retirement savings” and “mutual fund,” and such forward-thinking notions as putting it away for your children’s college tuition. Wait—aren’t we still paying off our own student loans?

We have something different in mind. After all, the government gave you this money back because you deserve to spend it. You couldn’t previously do so because it was snatched away, even though you worked so hard last year. You have earned the right to half a year of pampering at Bliss, where you can enjoy a new spa deal called the Prenup, whether you’re getting married or just feeling rich. The package includes six months of things we have never heard of, such as “High Thighs Treatments” and “Triple Oxygen Treatments.” Whatever those are, they better magically transform regular people into the realm of the flawless.

If you want to have more to show for your hard work, perhaps it’s time to join “A-listers” like Kirsten Dunst and Nicole Richie and hunt down the most coveted spring accessory: the Chloe Python handbag. At this point, of course, it has disappeared from stores (until the fall selection arrives), where the medium size was priced at $1,975, and the large at $2,660. But as usual, eBay saves the day, with several auctions going on right now for the bag. So far they’re all ending under $3,000. Hopefully, they’re real.

And if you’re more of an Imelda type, you can finally pick up a pair of truly senseless shoes at Jeffrey, where $1,700 will score you a pair of Jimmy Choo jeweled high-heeled sandals.

We recognize that, to the fiscally responsible shopper, these may sound like wasteful choices, and we support your instinct to conserve. Therefore, rather than splurging at Bliss, you might enjoy two hundred manicures at Bloomie Nails. Instead of that Python bag, you could get about 35 gorgeous vintage leather handbags at Edith & Daha. And if Jimmy Choo is a little much for you, your tax refund is also worth 20 pairs of Jeffrey Campbell’s sparkly strappy sandals at Urban Outfitters. It’s your money, after all.